Confluence of States

PENNSYLVANIA - Leaders of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Pennsylvania Office of Outdoor Recreation visited Marsh Creek State Park to highlight the agency’s commitment to expanding outdoor recreation access and unveiled a new Spanish-Language Recreation Guide for the Commonwealth’s 124 state parks and 2.2 million acres of state forestlands. DCNR released the new guide during Hispanic Heritage Month to highlight the agency's initiative to create a more inclusive environment in outdoors spaces, called Mosaic. “Outdoor recreation is an important part of Pennsylvania’s economy, and expanding access to opportunities for all people is critical to growing this important sector,” said Nathan Reigner, Director of Pennsylvania's Office of Outdoor Recreation. “As Pennsylvania competes with other states as an outdoor recreation destination, it is important to understand the only way we are going to win is to get everyone in the game.” See the article by BCTV: https://lnkd.in/enDMPCUC See the Spanish-Language Recreation Guide: https://lnkd.in/emiCU85C

ARIZONA - The Confluence of States is excited to celebrate the expansion of the Arizona Office of Outdoor Recreation to Arizona State Parks and Trails! Going forward, Neil Large, Program Administrator at Arizona State Parks and Trails, will lead the office. Its efforts include positioning Arizona’s outdoor offerings as a top choice for residents, visitors and industry partners while ensuring businesses, land managers and other stakeholders are empowered and all the beautiful state assets are conserved for future generations to enjoy. “Arizona is known as a destination with amazing outdoor recreation options,” said Neil Large, the new Program Administrator. “We want people to understand that outdoor recreation benefits the state’s economy, job market, and rural communities. Our goal is to expand the reach of our outdoor-related grants program, tell Arizona’s unique story, and entice more people to build memories in the outdoors.” “The Confluence of States is excited to welcome Neil Large and Arizona’s Office of Outdoor Recreation as the 24th such office around the country,” said Katherine Andrews, Chair of the Confluence of States and Director of the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation. “This significant milestone strengthens the bond between neighboring Confluence members – Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah – and highlights the growing recognition of outdoor recreation’s essential role in our communities. The outdoor industry continues to be a vital driver for our local, state, and federal economies, fostering job creation and enhancing quality of life. Arizona’s office will work across all state agencies and stakeholders to develop innovative strategies to encourage residents and visitors alike to explore the great outdoors. We look forward to continuing our collective work alongside Arizona.” See Outdoor Recreation Roundtable's announcement: https://lnkd.in/e27-VjHP See Arizona's announcement: https://lnkd.in/evmCQxvt

NEVADA - The Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation is launching a new certification program designed to preserve Nevadan’s view of the starry night. The Nevada Starry Skies Certification Program focuses on implementing strategies to protect the night sky and mitigate light pollution. The certification of dark sky places in Nevada under the program aims to attract tourists to rural communities under the state’s dark skies. The state will work with various entities, such as schools, homeowner’s associations, parks and conservation areas. “We’re excited to launch the Nevada Starry Skies Certification Program, which focuses on protecting the incredible night skies that make our state so special. By reducing light pollution and encouraging responsible lighting, we’re taking important steps to preserve this natural wonder for current and future generations. This program will help ensure that Nevadans can continue to enjoy the beauty and clarity of our night skies for years to come.” said Denise Beronio, Administrator of the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation. See the news article by KVVU-TV (Fox5Vegas): https://lnkd.in/enTUx-pE

Our hearts go out to all those affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The heavy rainfall, intense winds, and flooding that struck several Southern states have brought immense devastation to our communities. Our thoughts are with all those affected, and we recognize that it will take time and resources for these areas to recover and get back on their feet. FEMA, state, and federal partners are actively supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts: https://lnkd.in/gwSXsGUK

MASSACHUSETTS - Massachusetts awarded $27.8 million for conservation, open space, and park projects! This funding will help 59 grantees develop parks and conserve 2,375 acres. “Investing in parks and open space is critical for our state’s resilience against climate change, tackling issues like urban heat islands, flooding, sea level rise, and drought,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These projects boost public health, drive tourism, and strengthen our economy. By aligning our grants with the Resilient Lands Initiative, we commit to creating sustainable communities and safeguarding our natural resources for future generations.” See the full announcement: https://lnkd.in/gSy9DTeE.

COLORADO - The Colorado Tourism Office, a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), announced the completion of its year-long Colorado Destination Stewardship Strategic Planning Initiative. This groundbreaking effort has resulted in the creation of a statewide Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan, accompanied by eight regional plans. These strategic plans aim to balance the quality of life for residents with the visitor experience while safeguarding Colorado's natural environment, cultural heritage, and vibrant communities. Initiated in May 2023, this effort marks a significant milestone in Colorado’s approach to tourism management and sustainable travel. “Colorado’s thriving tourism industry draws people from around the world and continues to be an important economic driver. Our plan is focused on balancing our incredible quality of life and our world-class outdoors and communities, with the experience of visitors who come to our great state. This will ensure that we remain a leader in tourism and outdoor recreation for decades to come,” said Governor Jared Polis. See the full release and plan here: https://lnkd.in/ePGREmRy

VERMONT - Last week, U.S. Senator Peter Welch, in conjunction with the U.S. Travel “Travel Works” program, hosted an event at Richmond Mountain Trails’ (RMT) The Driving Range, the first fully-accessible trail network, located in Bolton, Vermont. The event included a hike around RMT’s new adaptive-ready trail system, and a discussion with U.S. Travel Association, Vermont Tourism, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, and State, local and industry leaders on tourism and outdoor recreation in Vermont. Participants talked about the challenges and issues facing the travel and outdoor recreation industry, including accessibility issues, cross-border travel and business, infrastructure repairs, immigration policy reforms, rural development, and the need for outdoor recreation marketing and development funding. “Vermont’s travel and outdoor recreation industry is an economic driver in our state, drawing folks from across the country and around the world to enjoy nature and community at its best. We’ve seen how back-to-back floods have impacted so much of our state, including this crucial sector, but it is clear today Vermont is open and ready for the fall tourism season,” said Senator Welch. “I’ll continue to support innovative initiatives to bolster our outdoor recreation industry to ensure everyone—of all abilities—can access, enjoy, and explore all the Green Mountain State has to offer.” See the full story here on VermontBiz Magazine: https://lnkd.in/en7BaYu4

MARYLAND - Maryland’s agencies are collaborating to update their state trail system. Last week, transportation officials announced an ambitious plan to ensure the pathways are more connected and better supported. Over the next six months, the Maryland Department of Transportation will work with the state’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, as well as other state agencies including the Maryland Office of Outdoor Recreation and local partners. The groups will collaborate on what will be included in the plan, and how to implement those goals. “This is an opportunity to plan for the future and think about better connecting our trails to an integrated statewide network built for this generation,” said Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Assistant Secretary Joe McAndrew. “It will be really important for us to take what we have as our priorities for our recreation trails and make sure they’re working with the tools and strategic planning that MDOT is doing,” said Sandi Olek, Maryland Department of Natural Resources's Director of the Maryland Office of Outdoor Recreation. “[Locals] are doing on-the-ground surveys and identifying the priorities of their communities, and the priorities of their residents. We need to take those priorities and fold them in, and make sure that we’re getting that engagement, also.” See the full story here by Hannah Cechini at 47 ABC - WMDT: https://lnkd.in/eK9GnhvH

NATIONWIDE - Across the nation, outdoor equity funds are helping more people get outside bridging the “nature gap." The Wilderness Society's latest blog shares the significance of outdoor equity funds in promoting access to outdoor spaces for underrepresented and marginalized communities. Outdoor equity funds are state-based grant programs that provide financial resources to local organizations providing nature-based programming for communities that have historically been excluded or underserved. So far, five states have adopted statewide outdoor equity grant programs: California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Washington. These states recognize that access to nature is not universal and seek to dismantle the barriers that prevent marginalized communities from enjoying the many benefits of outdoor experiences. Maine and North Carolina have privately-funded grant programs.  See the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/espMM7wn

PENNSYLVANIA - In honor of National Recovery Month, Pennsylvania state officials announced a new statewide initiative encouraging people to utilize the benefits of the state's outdoor resources. The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced the agencies' Recovery in Nature initiative, which will run throughout the month of September in conjunction with National Recovery Month. Recovery in Nature is designed to remind Pennsylvanians of the healing power of nature – particularly for individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder – and encourage all Pennsylvanians to take advantage of trails and waterways across the Commonwealth. “Trails not only connect one place to another, they connect people to nature and the enjoyment of our state parks and forests which has benefits for our health," Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “Nature can help heal and Pennsylvanians are fortunate that there are hundreds of state and local parks and thousands of miles of trails that are waiting for them to explore." See more about the initiative here: https://lnkd.in/etfuGYMH